Journalist among 36 afflicted with chikungunya

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — A female news reporter in this city was among the 36 persons hospitalized due to chikungunya, in Leyte province since early this month.

DOH-Region 8 director Jose Llacuna confirmed this number of patients, saying 21 of them were from Babatngon town, 12 in this city and three in Sta. Fe town.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease that affects mainly adults, but may not be as deadly as its more notorious "cousin" dengue, although health authorities here have acted with urgency and monitoring to contain its spread.

Both chikungunya and dengue have similar symptoms but patients afflicted with the former suffer fever, rashes and prominent joint pains, according to Llacuna.

Llacuna said the DOH-8 have pushed for environmental sanitation campaign, similar to what has been done against dengue spread, by urging local government units to improve their garbage collection and disposal. — (FREEMAN)